Audio conversion
Convert M4B to M4A
M4B is the format used for audiobooks, and M4A is a plain audio file that music apps and voice recorders expect. To convert M4B to M4A, open the file in a converter and export it as M4A. Doing this on your own computer means the audiobook never has to be uploaded anywhere.
All 2,748 conversions verified on macOS, Windows, and Linux against the shipping release, this one included. Every conversion runs entirely on your own computer.
- Extension
- .m4b
- Type
- Audio
- Typically
- Audiobooks, podcasts
- Compression
- Lossy
- Extension
- .m4a
- Type
- Audio
- Typically
- iTunes / voice memos
- Compression
- Lossy
Convert M4B to M4A on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
One-time purchase, no subscription. 14 days to change your mind.
How to convert M4B to M4A
- Open Morphjet and drag in the M4B file, or a whole folder of audiobook files at once.
- Choose M4A as the output format.
- Convert. The M4A file is written to your computer, and the audio never leaves your machine.
M4B vs M4A: what actually changes
| M4B | M4A | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Same audio, roughly the same size | Roughly the same size |
| Quality | Lossy, compressed for speech | Same lossy audio, no re-encoding needed for the export |
| Chapter markers | Yes, supports multiple chapters | No, plays as one continuous track |
| Remembers where you stopped | Yes, in audiobook and podcast apps | No, plays from the start like a song |
| Opens in | Audiobook and podcast apps | Music apps, voice memo apps, general players |
| Metadata | Book title, author, chapter names | Carries over, but read as track and artist tags |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert M4B to M4A when you want the recording treated as a plain audio track, for example to import a personal recording into a music library, use it as a voice memo, or move it into an editor that doesn't recognize audiobook files.
Keep the M4B if you actually listen to it as an audiobook, since converting to M4A drops the chapter list and the app will no longer remember where you left off.
Why not just use an online converter?
Audiobooks and personal recordings can run for hours and often aren't yours to redistribute, or contain a voice you'd rather not send to a stranger's server. An online converter uploads the whole file before it gives anything back. Converting on your own computer keeps the file, and everything in it, on your machine the entire time.
Questions
Does converting M4B to M4A lose audio quality?
Usually not. Both formats commonly hold the same kind of compressed audio, so the conversion is mostly a container change rather than a re-encode. If the audio does get re-encoded, there's a small, one-time quality loss.
Will I lose the chapters?
Yes. M4A doesn't carry chapter markers the way audiobook apps expect, so the file plays as one continuous track instead of a list of chapters.
Will the app remember where I stopped listening?
No. That resume-where-you-left-off behavior comes from audiobook and podcast apps recognizing the M4B format specifically. As an M4A, most players treat it like a song and start from the beginning.
Does the M4A keep the title and author information?
The metadata carries over, but a plain music player reads it as track and artist fields rather than book and author, so it may look a little different in your library.
Can I convert M4B to M4A without uploading the file?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so it never has to travel over the internet.
Morphjet runs this conversion and 2,747 others, all on your machine. Available now.
One-time purchase, no subscription. 14 days to change your mind.